This week Dr. Lee Cerveny discusses her work as a research social scientist at the U.S. Forest Service. As a graduate student, Lee spent six months studying tourism and rural communities in Southeast Alaska for the Forest Service. She continued her work for the agency while finishing her doctorate and was given a permanent position upon completing her dissertation. Listen to her interview with Ruth Sando as she discusses her work, the skills and methodologies that have proven most useful to her, and possible career opportunities for anthropologists.

In February 2007, the Practicing Anthropology Working Group (PAWG) launched a “Profiles in Practice” column in Anthropology News that highlighted anthropologists working outside of academia. PAWG soon transformed into the more permanent AAA Committee of Practicing, Applied and Public Interest Anthropology (CoPAPIA), which reimagined its Anthropology News column under the new title “Anthropology Works” in September 2008.

CoPAPIA is now building upon past Profiles in Practice columns with an online interview series geared towards students interested in anthropology but uncertain about career paths that await them after graduation. The series is hosted by Ruth Sando, owner of Sando and Associates, who is a practicing anthropologist and former board member of the Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists.

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